File this under "sad but true": The first signs of aging—sun spots, crow's-feet—show up earlier than we ever realized. In happier news, the right treatments can make all the difference.

CROW'S FEET

THE CAUSE: Laughter is apparently not the best medicine for the skin around the eyes—repeated muscle movement from smiling, laughing, and squinting creases the skin. It's probably no coincidence that a 2006 Aveeno study found that 84 percent of women notice the first signs of aging around their eyes. Part of the problem is that people frequently skip sunscreen there because they're afraid it will be irritating. Another culprit: "The skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the body," says David E. Bank, an associate professor in clinical dermatology at Columbia University/Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. "There isn't as much collagen and elastin there to begin with, which means once you start acquiring some sun damage, it's one of the first areas on the face to wrinkle."

The TREATMENT: Smile—there's no need to become an expressionless, joyless robot. Instead, use an eye cream that contains one of the three ingredients dermatologists recommend to prevent and repair fine lines: retinoids, which stimulate cell turnover, increase collagen production, and are available as retinol in over-the-counter products (we like RoC Multi-Correxion Eye Treatment, applied at night), or in higher-dose prescription creams such as Retin-A and Renova; peptides, which are molecules consisting of multiple amino acids that help boost collagen production (try Dr. Brandt r3p Eye, day and night); and antioxidants, which neutralize the free radicals that break down skin cells and cause wrinkles (try Priori CoffeeBerry Radiance Eye Serum, every morning). "The better antioxidants can also make skin less sensitive to the sun," says Alster. Some of the most potent ones are green tea, CoffeeBerry, grape-seed extract, and soy. For an immediate (albeit temporary) boost, a rich eye cream with humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid will draw water to the skin, making crow's-feet harder to spot. (Try Elemis Pro Collagen Eye Renewal.) If your eye cream doesn't contain sun protection, apply a sunscreen designed not to irritate the eye area every day, such as Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care SPF 30, and toss on a pair of UV-blocking shades to shield you from the sun and prevent squinting.

DARK CIRCLES

THE CAUSE: Dark undereye circles may have nothing to do with your sleeping habits. In fact, one trigger could be allergies. "They cause inflammation around the sinuses and dilated blood vessels under the eyes," says Alster. The simple solution: Try an over-the-counter antihistamine such as Claritin. However, there are other, more stubborn demons at work here. "Directly beneath the thin undereye skin, you've got a multitude of tiny veins stacked on top of one another in crisscrossing directions," Alster says. "It's this confluence of color right beneath the skin that can give it the darkish hue." Other catalysts are a leakage of iron oxide, called hemosiderin, from the capillaries, which appears as a brownish or bruiselike color (doctors are still scratching their heads as to why this happens, though sinus inflammation can set it off), and increased pigmentation caused by sun exposure.

THE TREATMENT: Dark circles are the common cold of dermatology—countless people have them, and no one has figured out how to cure them. A cream won't do jack for dilated or leaky veins, and bleaching creams sound logical but don't make a memorable difference, says Amy Wechsler, assistant clinical professor in dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City. However, an eye cream with peptides and retinoids, such as Jan Marini Age Intervention Eye Cream, helps build up collagen and thicken the skin over time, making dark circles less apparent. Wechsler also warns women not to rub their eyes, since that can lead to more dilated blood vessels.

Advertisement

LINES AROUND THE MOUTH

THE CAUSE: Sipping through a straw may seem daintier than knocking back a drink, but it can do a number on the skin surrounding your mouth over time. Pursing or puckering lips frequently—when sipping, smoking, or talking animatedly—is a major source of fine lines around the mouth. The other is (you guessed it) sun damage. "The reason you see lines here early on is because the skin is exposed and it's a delicate area," says Alster. "Even if you diligently apply sunscreen to your face, it often gets rubbed off right near the mouth when you use a napkin or lick your lips."

THE TREATMENT: Doctors recommend daily sunscreen, as well as nightly skin creams with collagen-stimulating ingredients, such as peptides and retinoids, to help prevent lines from getting deeper and new ones from forming. (Try Peter Thomas Roth Uber-Dry Sunscreen SPF 30 and M Lab Anti-Aging Treatment Cream.) "And for God's sake, quit smoking," says Bank. Wechsler tells patients to exfoliate around the mouth just as they do the rest of the face. "By regularly getting rid of the dead skin there, you reduce the appearance of lines," she says. For a temporary fix, a product containing hyaluronic acid, such as Elizabeth Arden Intervene Pause & Effect Moisture Cream SPF 15, or glycerin, such as Kinerase Lotion, plumps up skin and makes lines less visible—or you could try one of the new products that fill in lines. (They include Olay Regenerist Anti-Aging Lip Treatment and Revlon Age Defying Precise Wrinkle Eraser.) "However, ingredients that fill in the lines, such as collagen and silicone, can also pill on the skin, so apply just a thin layer," says Alster.

DULL SKIN

THE CAUSE: You may still be running marathons, but your skin cells are already losing steam by around age 30. "Cell turnover starts to slow down around this age, which leads to a buildup of dead skin, and it doesn't always slow at the same pace across your face," says Wechsler. "So you end up with patches of dead skin in some areas, causing your complexion to be dull, uneven, and rough."

THE TREATMENT: Exfoliate once a week to remove the top layer of dead cells. Doctors prefer at-home peels with alpha hydroxy acid (AHAs, which include glycolic acid) or salicylic acid over scrubs. "People tend to rub harshly in certain areas, which can cause uneven exfoliation and irritation," says Alster. "A peel provides an even layer of product across the face to chemically loosen dead cells." Don't leave a peel on for longer than the instructions advise, and be sure to moisturize afterward. If you have sensitive skin, test the product first on a small patch of skin in front of your ear, says Wechsler. Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive (with AHAs) and MD Formulations Daily Peel Pads (with salicylic acid) make it easy to exfoliate in one quick swipe.

To force your skin into the habit of faster cell turnover, introduce products that speed up the process. Try a mild salicylic acid cleanser, such as Dermalogica MediBac Clearing Skin Wash, or a cream with either AHAs or retinol (we like Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion SPF 15 and Remergent Advanced Retinol Therapy)—just don't use the creams within an hour of an AHA or salicylic acid peel, to avoid irritating skin (by doubling up on the acids) or negating the effects (salicylic acid and AHAs can weaken retinol).

HYPER-PIGMENTATION

THE CAUSE: Hyperpigmentation is the clinical term for brown spots, freckles, and dark patches—all caused by an overproduction of melanin. Sun damage is typically to blame for small, individual brown spots, while a rise in estrogen levels in your body—often brought on by pregnancy or certain types of birth control pills—causes larger, irregular splotches of dark skin known as melasma.

Advertisement

THE TREATMENT: The only over-the-counter ingredient strong enough to actually bleach skin is hydroquinone—"it can get rid of a dark spot or melasma entirely," says Wechsler. There has been controversy over the ingredient because of some patients who used it in extremely high concentrations and developed darker spots, but as of now, "it remains the best treatment for hyperpigmentation," says Wechsler. (You can find it over the counter in Ambi Skincare Fade Cream for Normal Skin.) In addition, because AHAs and retinol help speed up cell turnover, they prompt skin to shed the darker cells while also evening out melanin production so you don't get clusters of pigment. (Try Dr. Michelle Copeland Skin Care AHA Face Cream or L'Oréal Paris Advanced RevitaLift Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate Serum.)

It takes four to eight weeks for a lightening agent to fade a dark area of skin completely, and brown spots and melasma are notorious for recurring. "Patients will tell me that the bleaching creams don't work, and then I'll find out they're not wearing sunscreen," says Fredric Brandt, a cosmetic dermatologist in New York City and Miami. "Unless you apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day and avoid prolonged sun exposure, the treatments aren't going to work."

DRYNESS

THE CAUSE: Oil is in overdrive when you're a teenager, then nearly runs dry as you get older. "Your skin gets about 10 percent drier every decade," says Bank. While oil production decreases, the lipid barrier of skin, which traps and holds in moisture, becomes increasingly defective over time. "You've got a double whammy of less moisture production and less ability to hold moisture in the skin," says Bank.

THE TREATMENT: You need a good moisturizer, but a thick, rich cream could clog your pores when you're young. "Your moisturizer should sink in quickly but leave skin feeling supple," says Bank. Try a lightweight lotion with ceramides (which help build up the lipid barrier), such as Dove Sensitive Skin Facial Lotion or CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion. If your skin still feels dry, begin next time with a hydrating serum such as Vichy Laboratoires Aqualia Thermal Serum or Bioelements Moisture x10, then apply your moisturizer. If your skin feels tight after you wash it, "that means you've stripped it of its natural, protective oils," says Wechsler. Switch to a creamy cleanser—try Lancôme Comforting Creamy Foaming Cleanser. And be sure to exfoliate weekly with a glycolic acid peel (it's gentler on dry skin than a scrub)—clearing away dead cells helps your moisturizer penetrate better. (We like Avon ANEW Clinical Advanced Retexturizing Peel.)

WEATHERED NECK AND DÉCOLLETAGE

THE CAUSE: Call it the forgotten territory. Even those who diligently apply sunscreen to their face often forget their neck and chest—and because the skin there is thinner and has fewer oil glands than the face does, it's particularly susceptible to early signs of aging such as horizontal neck lines and brown chest spots. And once again, blame it on the sun.

THE TREATMENT: The same ingredients you use to treat lines and dark spots on your face will work on your neck and chest—but because the skin here is thin, it's more sensitive. To minimize irritation, apply face cream to your neck and chest just two or three times a week. If you're particularly sensitive, use a neck cream—it typically has a lower concentration of active ingredients, like retinols and lightening agents, than face creams do. (We like Cellex-C Advanced-C Neck Firming Cream.) And we may sound like a broken record here, but a broad-spectrum sunscreen applied daily to this area—even in the wintertime—is your best defense against further damage.